Compressor-die for pill-machines.



No. 66|,596. Patented Nov. '|3, |900.

F. J. BECK. I

COMPRESSOR DIE FOR PILL MACHINES.

(Appucaeionmed July 2o, 1900.).

(No Model.)

/NVENT'O/e:

M//TNESSEsf l n gydmyzd cg we no'ams #Crans co. wcmuno., WASI-Immun n a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND J. BECK, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, AssIeNoR'To BECK a AUBERT',

. 4 or sAME PLACE.

COMPRESSOR-DIE FOR PlLL-MACHTINES;

SPECIFICATION forming petit of Lettere Patent No. 661,596, dated November I3, 1900.

Application filed July 20, 1900. Serial No. 24,318. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND J. BECK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of 5 Illinois, have invented certain new an'd useful Improvements in Compressor-Dies for Pill- Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Heretofore considerable diculty has been Io experienced in the manufacture of pills because of the liability of the pills breaking when the dies between which they are formed are withdrawn one from the other. As now made it is sometimes impossible for the pills when composed of certain medicaments to retain their spherical form. The object of my invention is to avoid the great waste caused by this breakage. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and as parl2o ticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical central section through myimproved dies. Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper die, showing the drag or brake mechanism for the plunger of the upper die in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the saine, showing said drag or brake mechanism in horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of said drag or brake mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side View of the lower die with the 3o clamping-nut removed.

rPhe principal features of my invention consist of a movable upper die and lower die and a centrally-located forming-block or hopper within which said upper and lower dies coperate to form the pills.

In the drawings, A represents the cylindrical holder for the upper die, the lowerend -of which is increased in diameter to form a head therefor, substantially as shown. This 4o holder has a central longitudinally-elongated socket a made -in its lower end, the diameter of the lowermost portion of which is preferably greater in diameter to receive the shank of the tubular part B of the upper die and the central portion of which is slightly greater in diameter than the upper portion, in which a coil expansion-spring C is placed to receive and form a chamber for the boss d of the plunger D of the upper die to move in, substan- 5o tially as shown.

The tubular portion B is screwed up into the holder A and is held in any position to which it may be adjusted by means of a setscrew b, tapped radially into the -side of the head thereof and biting against the screwthreaded shank of the same. The lower edge of this tubular part B is countersunk or inversely beveled, so as to correspond to the spherical plane of the pill in the manufacture of which it is designed to be used, and the 6o .upper end of said tubular part forms the iioor of the chamber in which the head d of the plunger rcciprocates. The plunger D is of a diameter just sufficient to permit it to reciprocate easily in the bore of the tubular part B and is less than that of the head thereof secured to its upper end. The lower end of this plu nger when the head thereof is bearing against the upper end of the tubular part is on the same horizontal plane as the sharpened 7o edges of said part B and is concaved on the spherical plane of the pill in the manufacture of which it is to be used, so that when the plunger is at the limit of its upper movement said concaved lower end will, together with the countersunk edges of part B, form a concavity corresponding to or nearly to one-half the circumference or spherical contours of the pill.

At points diametrically opposite each other 8o the head CZ of the plunger is provided with radially-projecting trunnions c, which extend through vertically-elongated slots c in the head of the upper holder and have their ends journale'd in suitable bearings in the annulus 85 E, surrounding said head. Projecting from the annnlus4 E at a point midway between and preferably at right angles to the axial plane of the trunnions e isan arm F, the outer end of which enters the longitudinally-elon- 9o gated socket in the head of the braking-bolt G. The barrel of this bolt passes through a vertical slot g in a plate I, which is suitably secured to the frame of the machine in which said dies are used in a vertical plane parallel to the line of motion of and adjacent to the upper-die holder. The barrel of said bolt is preferably screw-threaded its entire length and has a suitable nut locked on the end thereof opposite its head and has a washer surrounding it near said plate opposite the shoulders formed by the head, and between 2 certes upward movement of said plunger at' the beginning of the upward movement of the up.

per-die holder, so as to give the lower edges of the tubular part B an opportunity to withdraw f rom the pill just formed without breaking the same, while the lower end of the plun-` ger holds the pill at the point. of its greatest compression and before it moves upward.v The spring C in the upper portion of the socket d of the upper-die holder operates simply as an aid to the braking mechanism to keep the plungerD down upon the pill at the commencement of the upward movement of the tubular part B. While its use, is desirable, because its effect upon the plunger is more immediate than the braking mechanism, it could be dispensed with.

The forming-block H is stationary and is provided with a central vertical opening t' therethrough concentric with the line of Inotion of and in alinement with the upper and lower dies. The lower part of the opening is preferably less in diarneter than the upper part and. lhas, screwed therein and held in any position to-which it may beadj usted by means of a set-screw 7i; the stationary tubular part J ofthe lower die. The upper edges of thisA part J are of the same diameter as that of the lower portion of the part B and extend up into the upper portion of central opening i,

the diameter of which is increased to form a seat for the bushing m,vwithin the b ore of which the upper and lower diesv meet to form. the pill. Y.

The lower-die holder L is preferably cylirr. drical the greater portion of its length, has a seat formed in its upper taperedA end for the, shank of the lower cylindrical die K, andhas a loose jaw M, which is placed against. and is made to clamp the shank of said lower dieK by means of a suitable clamping-nut N, the lower part of the bore of whichV isinteriorly threaded to engage with the threaded exterior of the upper part of the cylindricall portion of the lower-die holder Land the boreof the upper portion of which is tapered,so,that,

clamps the lower die securely iii-place.

The lower die K enters and moves. in. the bore of the stationary tubular part J and. isv of vsuch length lthat when atA the limit of its upper movement its upper end will extend slightly below the pla-ne of the top surfaceof the forming-block. The upper edgesof the;` stationary tubular part J are countersunk on of the tubular part B of the upper die, and

the upper end of the lower die-K is concaved, so as tocorrespond to the curvature of the concavity of the lower end of the plunger D of said upper die. Thus when the upper and lower dies meet and are in operative positions in the forming-block they coperate to form `a perfectly-spherical pill, either independentlyv of the cylindrical walls of the bore of the bushing m or in conjunction therewith.

The operation of my invention is substantially asA follows: In their rst position the upper-die holder will be at the limit of its upper movement andthe parts D and B will be out of the bo're of and above the forming'- block H and the lower die will be at the limit of its lower movement, in which position its upper end willl be in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. While in this posi tion the medicated powder is fed into the bore of the forming-block from above, and then the upper dies move down toward the position shown in Fig.A l to form a perfectlyspherical pil-l. After the formation of the pill the tubular partB. of the upper die moves upward a, slight distance before the plunger ,starts to move, substantially'in the. manner hereinbefore explained, and then the lower die follows on upward until ythe pill is above the plane of the topsurface of the forming- 'b1ock, whereupon itis brushed laterally oif of said dies and blocked by suitable mechanism.

It, will ofcourse be understoodi thata gang of these dies may be used inthe same machine, andA it;y will bereadily understood that y in this event one holder may be utili-Zed for vseveral Sets of dies.

All such modifications I desire tofbe considered ascoming within the scope of myV invention.

My improvementscanbe used just as well in` the manufacture of powdered or plastic compressed confectioneryor medicated preducts f any shape desired as well as pills. The dies herein-.before described are confined to the, manu-factureof pills.; butthe contiguration and design of the working ends of these, dies could be shaped so as tobe utilized in the` manufacture. of any of the products aboveI mentioned.k

1. In a pill-machine, the combination with :a formingblock, a stationary tubular die therein.,i and a lower reciprocal die movable in the same,y of an upper reciprocal; tubular y die,y and aplunger-die movable therein. as it is screwed onto the lower-die holder it l.,

2. In a pillrmachine the combination with a forming-block, a4 stationary tubular die therein, and a lower reciprocal die movable .inv thesame,y of an,v upper reciprocal tubular die,l anda plunger-die movable therein, said tubular die and plunger moving simultaneouslrydownwariill to the work, but the initial l upward movementof saidv tubular die being prior toy that, of said plunger.v

the same spherical plane as the lower edgesV l 3. In apill-machine, the combination with a forming-block, an adj ustable stationary tu- IOC' IIO

in the same, of an upper adjustable recipro` cal tubular die, and a plunger-die movable therein.

5. In a pill-machine, the combination with i a forming-block, an adjustable stationary tubular die therein7 anda lower reciprocal die movable in the same, of an upper adjustable reciprocal tubular die, and a plunger-die movable therein.

6. In a pill-machine, the combination with a stationary forming-block, having a vertical central opening therethrough, a stationary tubular die secured in the lower part of said opening, a bushing in the upper part of the same, and1 a lower reciprocal die operating in and through the tubular die, of an upper reciprocal tubular die and a plunger-die therein.

7. In a pill-machine, the combination with a stationary forming-block, having a vertical central opening therethrough, a stationary tubular die secured in the lower part of said opening, a bushing in the upper part of the same, and a lower reciprocal die operating in and through tubular die, of an upper reciprocal tubular die and a plunger-die therein, said tubular die and plunger moving simultaneously downward to the work, but the initial upward movement of said tubular die being prior to that of said plunger.

8. In a pill-machine, the combination with a forming-block, a stationary tubular die therein, an upper reciprocal tubular die and a plunger-die movable therein, of a reciprocal lower die coperating with said reciprocal plungerand tubular die to form the pill, and thereafter following the same during the upward movement, until its end is at or above the plane ot' the upper surface of said forming-block. Y

9. In a pill-machine the combination with a forming-block, a stationary tubular die therein, an upper reciprocal tubular die and a plunger-die movable therein, said reciprocal tubular and plunger dies moving simultaneously downward to the work, but the initial upward movement of said tubular die being prior to that' of said plunger, of a reciprocal lower die cooperating with said reciprocal plunger and tubular dies to form the pill within said forming-block and thereafter following the same to a point at or about the plane of the top of said forming-block.

10. vIn a pillmachine the combination with a forming-block, a stationary tubular die therein anda lower reciprocal die movable in the same, of an upper reciprocal tubular die, a plunge r-die having a slight reciprocal movement-therein, and braking mechanism forv said plunger-die whereby the initial move# ment ofV said tubular die in either direction precedes that of said plunger.

l1. In a pill-machine the combination with an upper die consisting of a tubular part B and a reciprocal part D having a slight moved ment in the bore of said tubular part independent thereof, of an annulus to which the upper end of said pl unger-die is pivot-ally con nected, a plate having a vertical slot therein, and a braking-boltmovable in said slot to the head of which said annulus is suitably connected.

l2. In a pill-machine the combination with the reciprocal upper-die holder, and the upper die consisting of a tubular part secured in the lower end of said die-holder, and a plunger-die having a limited movement in and independent of said tubular part and having trunnions projecting radially from the upper end thereof which extend through verticallyelongated slots therein, a bolt with the head of which said annulus is suitably connected and which extends through said slot, a nut on the end ot' said bolt opposite said head, and a coil expansion-spring surrounding said bolt between said nut and said plate.

13. In a pill-machine, the combination with.

a forming block, an adjustable stationary tubular die therein, and a lower adjustable die movable in the same, of an upper reciprocal tubular die, and a plunger-die movable therein.

14. In a pill-machine, the combination with a forming-block, and a lower reciprocal die movable in the sa1ne,of an upper reciprocal tubular die, and a plunger-die movable therein.

l5. In a pill-machine, the combination with a forming-block, and a lower reciprocal die movable in the same, of an upper adjustable reciprocal. tubular die, and a plunger die movable therein.

FERDINAND J. BECK.

Witnesses M. FRIEL, FRANK D. THoMAsoN. 

